Letters
by Hossfeathers
Summary: Letters sent from the character's in "The Dragonborn Comes Home" but sent in an AU where the story didn't happen. I don't know how long it will last, it's a pet project I will work on when the mood strikes. Tell me if you like it and I might write faster.
1. Chapter 1:Ralof Hope

Author's note: So this is a oneshot(maybe) set in an extremely AU. Its actually based of a school paper I found in my fiddle case a few days again(haven't touched the fiddle in a long time until this summer). I just changed a few of the names to make it more cohesive. I hope you enjoy.

My dearest Svanna,

It's been awhile since my last letter. Since that letter we, Kodlak and the whole village, have left Rorikstead under the giant threat and have taken up residence in Whiterun. Before I forget, how are Pelagius and Mjoll doing with their father so far away? Is Pelagius growing tall and strong like his father and Mjoll fair and hardy like her mother? You need not worry about me for we are safe in the town. I do have some bad news for the village. The last night before we left, Hadvar was on watch. They knew we are from the same village so they asked me to inform them. Tell them he died with a sword in his hand and is on his way to Sovengarde. And tell Camilla gently, I know they were sweet on each other. And now some good news. Alvor and Sigrid have had their first child, a little girl by the name of Dorthe. She has a strong grip and strong lungs. And Ragnthor has finally come back from visiting his brother in Cyrodiil and is going reclaim the town and I am one of those going with him. It's good to see him again after a year away. He and Lydia are expecting their first child. Now I would like to say that I will come home safe and sound, but those giant's took half our men. So if I don't come home from this mission, know that I love you more than my mead or the lass who brings it to me. You are more beautiful than a sunset in the high mountains and the dawn running naked on the snow. I'm so happy you became mind and I became yours.

You loving husband,

Ralof

Author's note 2: So in case you couldn't tell, alot of this are different in this one. Totally AU Ralof never met Brasella and him and Hadvar stayed fast friends and joined the Whiterun Guard. Kodlak took a detachment once he detremined that even in beast form the Companion's couldn't handle the giants. Ragnthor's father didn't died as soon(waited until the end of the summer) and he never left Lydia. And Lydia stayed the happy woman Ragnthor made her as children and they got married after the morning period of Freynar was over. As you can see, it happens mush sooner with a few changes. Dorthe is just getting born instead being 15(I think) in the main story. And this was fun to edit to make fit. If you want I could do more letters in this timeline or even make it a full fledged thing and have some more peaceful adventures. Or it could just be a oneshot, though a really cool one, IMO.


	2. Chapter 2:Ragnthor's Fears

Author's note: I bet you all are thinking "Why is he making more! he needs to be working on the other one!" Well the short of it is it got stuck in my head. so here's another one.

Little one,

I don't know why I'm writing, I haven't even been away 4 days but that's the longest we have been apart for awhile. I just wanted to put things down in writing and I miss you. The men are scared, almost bone deep, and for good reason. Hadvar wasn't a slouch in a fight and the giants tore him to pieces. I honestly think it's father's word that I'm as good as him that keep the men from going home. I know all the men, save Ralof, see me as a rail thin milksop that's still wet behind the ears. Hell, I think I'm that myself most days and I have no idea what you or anyone else sees in me. I just have the strength in my hands and the knowledge of the sword my father pounded into me and the small amount of shield work the redguard we met in Cyrodiil taught me. I know more about digging holes for fence posts, fixing stone fences and prepared the land for seeding than I do about large scale fighting. A scrap in a back alley I can do and you have watched me test my strength against an Orc strongholds champion and even fight enough solo fight rounds to earn my new title in the Arena. But leading men…I'm scared I'll kill them all. And even if I do and come home with a few scraps and a total loss, nothing will change. They will just let the giants keep the town. I wish they had let my father or Balgruuf, hell even Jon. I just don't have a mind for tactics. But it falls to me. But enough about me and my problems little one. I hope you're fine. You should be safe in father's town house while I'm trying to deal with this. And when I get home we will move out to the farm. Our farm. It's strange to say but its ours, to thrive or fail. And I want our child to be raised there. In the wind and the rain and snow and the sun, just like I was. But I should go. If the men see this they'll think I'm weak and if Ralof see's it he'll mock me for weeks. But I miss you and can't wait to be home.

With all my love,

Ragnthor(newly) of the Isles


	3. Chapter 3:Lydia

Love,

You must think I'm a ninny writing only 4 days after you left but I hope my letter finds you safe. I'll be honest I hope it finds you at all. I was so scared when they called your name at the meeting. Scared that you wouldn't come home to us. Shocked that your father put your name forward and the Jarl seconded him almost immediately. Maybe they see something deep inside you. Or maybe it was them hearing about your skill in the Arena. I mean I saw something there, deep in your eyes during your last bout. Something that both scared and comforted me. There was this will that you would win and even deeper was something even I can't make out. I just…I just want you to be safe. I don't know what I would do without you. Ever since mother died you have been the only one I could truly confide in and trust wholly. And if I lose you I would be totally lost. But enough about me. Your father is doing well. He is healthy as a horse and is overjoyed with the thought of having a new grandchild, one close enough he can see daily. If fact he dotes on me so much I have to fight to do any work around the house. Then he complains about me working and I remind him that he is an old man and he snorts and lets me do something. And I know you didn't get much time to be in town before you had to leave so I thought I might bring you up to date. Jon and Ysolda have started dating and its strange for 2 reasons. Reason one is that he leaves for the Bards College in a few months and Jon has never been on to leave something have done which feeds into reason 2. He still has love for Olfina and while it's hidden deep enough that someone who does know them both like me and you would never be able to tell. So there's that. Also involving the Grey-manes and Battle-borns, your father seems to have done something while we were away. Tensions between them have calmed down to the lowest I ever remember seeing them. And I don't know if you noticed but Balgruuf's wife is dead. She died a few months back after the birth of their last child. It would be easy to miss for he puts on a strong face when dealing with matter of the court but he came to the home last night. I was laying down in the guest bed for the night and I heard them talking. I don't think either of us realized just how much a father figure your father is to Balgruuf. They sat there and talked until the small hours of the morning, talked about everything under the sun while circling back to her death more times than I care to count. It sounds like they have big plans for you, especially if you come back victorious like I know you will. I know you will snort when you read that but its true. Sure you are skinnier than any other man in town but you could take any three of them in a fight, including the Companions. So I guess some giants won't be to big of a deal for you. Come home to me safe love.

With all my heart,

Lydia of the Isles

Author's note: And yet another one. I'm sure there is a person thinking "ANOTHER ONE! I NEED MORE FANFIC! I NEED TO KNOW HOW THE DLC'S END AND HOW THEN SPEND THE REST OF THEIR LIVES TOGETHER! STOP WRITING LETTERS!" Well to the hypothetical person, this is helping me get back into writing the fanfic. This dlc I'm on is so story heavy its burning me out. And the fanfic it's self is burning me out. I have 160,000 words on my laptop and thats without all the stuff I write to all of you. And I'm a wordy bastard and have probably half that much to good. This writing project is good for me. It gives me something different to write yet still in the same world. And its been fun to see how my word would be if important things never happened. And I hope you all enjoy it as much as me. thanks for reading.


	4. Chapter 4: Word from the Homefront

Letter 4

My heart,

It's been weeks since I heard from you last. It's been so long that Pelagius has taken to asking about you nigh constantly and Mjoll worries in her cradle at night. What has happened? The last thing you told me was that you and Hadvar had been summoned by the guard to help the companions do something in Rorikstead and you didn't even tell me what. Surely you have found time to send me a letter just to let me know you're safe. I worry about you dear. You know as well as I that you have a habit of getting in trouble. Like when we were children and you, Ragnthor and Hadvar were in Riften visiting me and managed to tweak the Jarl's, Maven's and the Thieves Guilds nose. All at the same time. Well I guess I could blame Ragnthor for that one, he was always getting you in trouble. Well maybe how you and I got together. I didn't know my aunt could throw that damned statue of Dibella so far and hard. I thought she was going to break a hole in the wall. And then was that time we when out walking in the evening after Pelagius was born and we fell through the ground into the mine filled with bandits. But still, the tone I got from your letter wasn't good and I'm scared. But enough about that. If you are in danger it won't do you any good to be worrying about how I feel. And I think you should hear some good news from the village. Now I don't know if you will find this one so good but Gerdur and Hod are having another child. Even Little Frodnar is happy. And here is some news I don't know if I should be sharing. But Camilla's pregnant! And all the women in the village know its Hadvar's. You should tell both him and his aunt and uncle. Ever since his father died they have been all he has. And I guess you and Hadvar are more alike than anyone thought. I swear it's a wonder Ragnthor and Lydia didn't end up the same way. I can't think of anything else that is happening in the village of note. Well I guess Delphine has been cagier than normal but who knows with that woman. I just want you to be safe for me, so we can follow our dreams of being together. I miss you more that words can tell.

Your longing wife,

Svanna

Author's note:So...this has actually been done for a while. I may have been lazy in posting it. Like a month lazy. As in I forgot I had it done until someone posted a review and it reminded me that I had it done. So I guess we all need to thank Stimar. Thank you. By posting this I can get started on the next batch of letters. And also a thanks to Just an observer1. That last review you made felt good. I didn't know that people would like The Dragonborn Comes Home as much as they do and its even more shocking you all like this. Also, work has once again started on The Dragonborn Comes Home. If I write every day I should finish in a week or so. And if you have managed to find me on Fictionpress and are reading The Trials of Moria, I'm working on that too. Just trying to get that chapter tied together write. Well I hope you enjoyed this. I know I kind of did. Poor Camilla.


	5. Chapter 5:Ralof's new life

Letter 5

Svanna, my love,

Things didn't go near as well as we hoped. The town is ours, but we took heavy losses. We lost half the men. And I lost my leg. I was unable to drop my shield to lessen the blow in time and it shattered everything below the knee. They had to cut it off above the knee to save my life. And before you get mad at Ragnthor, it was him who saved us. When I dropped he got angry, more so than I have ever seen him. He roared and charged at the closest giant and did something I have never seen before. He blocked the giant's club with his sword, like they were sparing. The giant even stopped fighting in shock. Then Ragnthor sliced its leg and it fell onto his sword. He then turned and hurls his sword at another, taking it in the heart. Then he yells for a greataxe and when he gets one he was a whirlwind of destruction. And yes, he still is as rail thin as when they left for Cyrodiil. And before you get mad at the Jarl for sending a "milksop", he gave every man who died rights as good as any priest. And I got your letter. It turns out your fears were founded. I told Alvor and Sigrid about Camilla and they were conflicted. They are happy for her and yet the news worsened there pain. I might have kept it from them but I thought it would help. You can hit me when I get back. They are thinking of helping her raise the child, it will be there last surviving family. But you can ask them after you read this. They brought it because Alvor is done serving in the guard. He has been in for 15 years and never seen losses like this outside of war. He wants to live and raise his daughter. I will be home a few days later, hopefully. They are bringing me to the priestess to make sure what's left of me is fine. We will make out, somehow. Ragnthor made me a peg and as soon as I am cleared I will started working with it. I made be stuck helping Gerdur with the mill for the rest of my days but it is a life. I will see you soon.

Ralof

Author's note: Hey look, this is done too.


	6. Chapter 6:A Commander's Shame

Letter 6

*The page has water damage and some of the ink is splotched*

Lydia

It happened Lydia, just what I said would happen. Half the men died. When the battle started, I froze. I couldn't think, I couldn't breathe, I just stood there and watched them died. Men who doubted me yet still threw their lives away when I said to charge. But that's not what they will write. No, it will go down in the books. They'll write "Ragnthor of the Isles, Champion of The Imperial Arena and son of one of Skyrim's most decorated Legate, Freynar the Vast, lead 50 men to force the giants out of Rorikstead. Ragnthor personally killed 4 giants himself when his men's moral faltered." Or something like that. But it wasn't heroics or honor that caused it. I was given a job too hard for me and one of my friends got hurt and I angry. You know who I am when I get angry. But none of that will be shared. The mission will heralded a success and I will be given more tasks like this on and honor heaped on what should be called a failure. We should have stayed in Cyrodiil, with Falknir. Or you could have stay in The Imperial City, living off my winnings while I work on a roving harvest crew, saving money to buy a farm of our own, never coming back to this blighted land. Where your worth is how well you fight, not what you grow or raise. If it was just me I would leave, slip off into the night and never be heard from again. But I could never do that to you or our child. Force you to live a life near to bandits, struggling for our next meal. So I'm coming home, back to Whiterun, to make my report to the jarl. And then I will go to the farm and not set foot off it, not until I have found a way to repent for the lives lost to my cowardness, until I have a harvest to sell, until the world forgets who my father is or learns not to judge me by him. I'm a farmer, not a fighter. Hard work and dirt runs as deep in my veins as fighting and, with luck, our child will have more dirt than war in their blood. Maybe I'm just rambling, maybe I don't know shit, I don't know. All I know is I don't want to go through anything like this again.

Missing you like mad,

Ragnthor

Author's note: By Jove, it another letter. I know its not my most read work, by my last check I has less than 200 views. But I enjoy it. It allows me to write a different kind of character, multiple different ones in fact, and its a good break from...everything else. Never thought a little paper that barely scored a 90 would end up starting something like this. So Happy reading.


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